In row crop cultivation, it is necessary to remove weeds on each side of and as close as possible to the crop plants. Therefore, the weeding machines use a guidance system, for instance runners, running in a ground trace, for instance in a furrow, for laterally guiding the earth working implements. Such known guidance systems are often not precise enough, for instance in the case of carrots cultivation wherein it is necessary to weed lateral zones which are very close to the planted carrots otherwise the weeds will overwhelm the young plants.
Weeding is currently effected either by mechanical means such as discs or the like tools or by a thermal system using burners emitting a flame directed against the weeds on each side of the crop plants. In order to protect the plants against the heat, baffle plates run in the soil on each side of the plants, these baffle plates often uproot the plants since they disturb the soil.